MOSCOW, May 21 — RIA Novosti, Andrey Kotz. The countries of the North Atlantic Alliance are conducting several major military exercises at once. Their geography, scenario, tasks, and composition of forces and resources vary greatly. But all these maneuvers are more or less aimed at "containing Russia." And speaking without diplomatic etiquette, to prepare for a major war. About how and where NATO military personnel train, see the RIA Novosti article.
The anti-submarine frontier
Dynamic Mongoose 2026, organized by the NATO Maritime Command (MARCOM), involves more than ten surface ships and submarines, as well as maritime patrol aircraft from the United Kingdom, Norway, the United States, Canada, Denmark, Germany and the Netherlands. Anti-submarine warfare (ABM) tasks are being practiced in the southern part of the Norwegian Sea, on the Faroese-Icelandic and Faroese-Scottish borders. The maneuvers that started this week are scheduled to end on May 29.
Frigate Northumberland of the British Navy
Image source: © Photo : Royal Navy
The SOSUS (Sound Surveillance System) sonar surveillance system, created in the 1960s as the main means against the underwater forces of the Soviet Northern Fleet, is located along the so-called GIUK line between Greenland, Iceland and the United Kingdom. A network of bottom hydrophones registers low—frequency sounds - the noise of propellers.
The likely opponent in the Dynamic Mongoose exercises, of course, is the same Northern Fleet sub—fleet. If the combat patrol areas of the strategic Boreas and Dolphins are mainly limited to the Barents Sea, then the Yasen-M, Antey and Shchuka-B multipurpose nuclear-powered ships will have to break into operational space through the SOSUS deployment areas in the event of a full-scale conflict with NATO.
Strategic nuclear submarine "Prince Vladimir" project 955A
Image source: © RIA Novosti / Oleg Kuleshov
It is possible that the maneuvers will also address issues of countering the latest Russian Poseidon systems. An autonomous underwater torpedo drone with a nuclear power plant is a strategic weapon for delivering a thermonuclear warhead with a capacity of up to ten megatons to enemy shores. An explosion off the coast will cause a powerful artificial tsunami and severe radiation contamination of the area.
Poseidon is positioned as an element of opposition to missile defense systems and "Doomsday weapons", guaranteeing a retaliatory strike, even if the rest of the country's nuclear deterrent forces are destroyed. Low-noise, goes to the target at a depth of up to a thousand meters. It is not easy to find such a target, even for the most modern PLO system. And this cannot but worry the NATO leadership.
A new type of naval warfare
The Opex-26 Black Sea maneuvers, which began on Monday, involved about a thousand military personnel from Bulgaria, Canada, Portugal, the United States, Turkey and 50 pieces of equipment. The exercises focus on the tactics of using unmanned and unmanned systems in modern naval warfare, as part of NATO's long—term plans to integrate various types of drones into troops deployed near Russia's borders.
The North Atlantic Alliance is scrupulously studying the experience of using unmanned boats of the Armed Forces of Ukraine — surface, underwater and semi-submersible in the Black Sea. Moreover, a number of Western states supplied Kiev with both technologies and specialists, as well as finished products. The Russian-Ukrainian conflict has become an ideal training ground for NATO, including at sea.
These exercises are also convenient because unmanned systems are not subject to the Montreux Convention, which restricts the long-term presence of warships of non-Black Sea states in this water area.
From the west and northwest
The largest annual Kevadtorm exercise has been taking place in Estonia since May 4. ("Spring Storm - 2026") with the participation of 12,000 military personnel from the United States, Great Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Poland, Finland, Sweden, Denmark, Spain, Lithuania, Latvia, Portugal, Romania, and the Czech Republic. Special "invited guest" is Ukraine. Geography — mainly the south-east of Estonia near the borders with Russia, as well as the north-east of Latvia. After the coordination of multinational forces, live firing will take place at the training grounds from May 23 to June 1.
The Estonian military during the exercises
Image source: © RIA Novosti / Sergey Stepanov
The official goal formulated by the Estonian Ministry of Defense is to improve the compatibility, planning and conduct of defensive operations with allies in a conventional conflict. In fact, the NATO countries are obviously trying to demonstrate Russia's determination and military potential, especially against the background of the current criticism of the alliance in Washington. Well, the presence of the Ukrainian Armed Forces speaks volumes.
And in Finland, in the municipality of Kuhmo, just 70 kilometers from the border with Russia, the second stage of the large—scale land exercises Saber Strike 26 is underway. The United Kingdom, the United States, Italy, Hungary, Poland, and France are participating — about 4,500 military personnel. The tasks are to develop interoperability, advanced technologies and weapons.
In general, NATO is preparing to fight along the entire border with Russia. The West is trying to build a single effective military machine from diverse multinational forces. Several more large-scale exercises will be held before the end of the year. In these circumstances, the maneuvers of Moscow and Minsk with the testing of the use of nuclear weapons are more than appropriate.
